Study in UAE and Get Work Too

The UAE’s strategic plan for the next few years focuses on economic diversification and creating more job opportunities also for nationals through improved education and increased private sector employment. More expats are also moving to the emirates for better work prospects as a number of jobs are now offering bigger take home salary than many other countries, as affirmed by Emirates 24|7 in an article about the UAE being a topmost global destination for study and to work.

In addition, according to the U.S. News & World Report, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is amongst the 2017 Best Countries rankings; in fact, is ranked 22nd out of 80 countries in a survey formed in partnership with global marketing communications company Y&R’s brand strategy firm, BAV Consulting, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; this effort was part of an analysis project created to capture how countries are perceived on a global scale. The UAE positioned highest in two categories:

Ranked #1 – The UAE is the best country to study abroad. Many respondents consider attending university there for the opportunity to develop new skills not taught at most universities. Education institutions seem to be geared towards shaping students into well-rounded candidates for employment after graduation, able to apply what they have learned and find work.

There are scholarships and internship opportunities for future leaders at UAE universities that have made it to the top 10 list of QS University Rankings for the Arab Region: “UAE University (88.6 per cent) and the American University of Sharjah (86.1 per cent) placed sixth and seventh respectively for the year 2015, retaining their rankings for the second consecutive year,” reveals Gulf News Education.

The Emirates is also known to play host to a number of top internationally recognized academic institutions that have highlighted STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) integration for various curriculums in schools to bridge the skills gap in the job market and to prepare students for the future. UAE also hosts career fairs with several organizations looking to recruit for volunteer opportunities, internships and full-time jobs for grads at regional employers.

Ranked #2 – The Best Countries to Start a Career. Skilled workers are in high demand where there’s a significant shortage of local talent. High wages and low costs of living have attracted many work professionals. Many are the websites and online resources that help job seekers find roles that fit their skills and assess the career prospects in different industries. The UAE has made strides toward cultivating a skilled workforce sustaining jobs of today and tomorrow through recruiting and developing employees with a range of backgrounds. The UAE has had the highest rise in employment opportunities across a broad range of industries compared with neighboring Arab countries, tells U.S. News.

The two ranking factors recognize the UAE for its academic reputation and for being an attractive place to study, drawing a steady stream of international students to its universities scattered across seven emirates; as well as for its employment outlook.

Before making the move, however, it’s important to become familiar with all immigration regulations. A student visa, for example, is not permission to work or remain in the country following completion of your studies. There are temporary work permits for students in the UAE, to allow them to work part-time only in a work placement program directly linked to his / her studies, and a foreign expat is expected to obtain a labor card (employment / work permit) from the UAE Ministry of Labour.